Crunchy Celery Peanut Salad (Printable)

A vibrant mix of celery, roasted peanuts, and a flavorful soy ginger dressing for a refreshing dish.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetables

01 - 6 large celery stalks, thinly sliced on the diagonal
02 - 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
03 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
04 - 1 small carrot, julienned

→ Nuts and Seeds

05 - 1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped
06 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

→ Fresh Herbs

07 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

→ Dressing

08 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
11 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
13 - 1 clove garlic, minced
14 - 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
15 - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes or 1 small red chili, finely chopped

# Directions:

01 - In a large salad bowl, combine the sliced celery, red bell pepper, scallions, julienned carrot, and chopped cilantro.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey or maple syrup, grated ginger, minced garlic, lime juice, and chili flakes until well combined.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat all vegetables evenly.
04 - Add the chopped peanuts and sesame seeds, tossing lightly to distribute throughout the salad.
05 - Serve immediately for maximum crunch or chill for 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in fifteen minutes, which means you can make it on a day when cooking feels impossible.
  • The soy-ginger dressing tastes like it belongs in a restaurant but costs pennies to make.
  • Every bite has a different texture—crunch, chew, snap—so it never gets boring.
02 -
  • Don't dress this more than twenty minutes before serving, or the celery starts to lose its crunch and everything tastes watery instead of vibrant.
  • The dressing needs to taste bold on its own—slightly too salty, slightly too gingery—because once it coats all that raw vegetable, it mellows out.
03 -
  • Make the dressing first and taste it while you're prepping vegetables—this gives you time to adjust before it meets the salad.
  • Keep everything cold, including the bowl if you have time, so the salad stays crisp and refreshing rather than wilting into itself.
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